Advancing Research in the Bioinnovation Lab

The Bioinnovation Laboratory is at the forefront of exploring innovative solutions at Kennesaw State in brewing science, fungal pathogen research, sustainable mushroom cultivation, and more. Our commitment to understanding fermentation processes and their effects on flavor and quality drives our studies in brewing, while our investigations into white-nose syndrome aim to protect vulnerable bat populations from a deadly fungal threat. Additionally, we are pioneering sustainable mushroom cultivation methods, utilizing advanced technologies to enhance food production and harness the unique properties of fungi for various applications.

Learn more about our innovative research projects happening to further our growth and sustainability as a community!

  • The Bioinnovation Laboratory is dedicated to advancing the field of brewing science by delving into the fermentation process and its influence on beer flavor and quality. Through innovative techniques like electron microscopy, the lab examines how materials, such as wooden barrels, interact with beer during fermentation. This research not only aims to refine brewing practices but also fosters creativity and collaboration within the brewing industry and the local community.

    This particular research focuses on the biological and chemical analyses for industrial beverage fermentation processes.

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  • Pseudogymnoascus destructans (previously Geomyces destructans) is a newly-discovered fungal pathogen responsible for white-nose syndrome in bats. Since its discovery in North America in 2006, it has spread throughout the eastern United States and Canada.

    White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a lethal fungal disease caused by *Pseudogymnoascus destructans*, threatening bat populations in North America. Characterized by white fungal growth on their skin, WNS primarily impacts bats during hibernation, resulting in high mortality rates.

    We are investigating the disease's mechanisms and collaborating to develop effective treatment and prevention strategies, focusing on environmentally safe solutions to address the unique challenges posed by bats' natural habitats.

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  • Utilization of mushrooms and fungi in novel ways, including development of their culinary, biochemical, and structural properties.

    Mushroom cultivation offers a sustainable way to enhance food production, leveraging the unique capabilities of fungi to thrive on various substrates, including agricultural waste. The Bioinnovation Laboratory is researching how to develop efficient, low-footprint mushroom growing facilities using modified shipping containers. This initiative focuses on climate adaptability, automated environmental control, and the potential for fungi in bioconversion, with the newly formed VIP Team MycoSolutions exploring innovative applications in food production and beyond. 

    MycoSolutions – Solving Problems with Fungi

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Publications

Beeson, William, Kyle Gabriel, Christopher Cornelison. 2023. Fungi as a source of eumelanin: current understanding and prospects. Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology.

Gabriel, Kyle T., Ashley G. McDonald, Kelly E. Lutsch, Peter E. Pattavina, Katrina M. Morris, Emily A. Ferrall, Sidney A. Crow, Jr., Christopher T. Cornelison. 2022. Development of a multi-year white-nose syndrome mitigation strategy using antifungal volatile organic compounds. PLoS ONE.

Parker, Ryan A., Kyle T. Gabriel, Kayla D. Graham, Bethany K. Butts, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2022. Antifungal Activity of Select Essential Oils against Candida auris and Their Interactions with Antifungal Drugs. Pathogens.

Lutsch, Kelly E., Ashley G. McDonald, Kyle T. Gabriel, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2021. Roadway-associated culverts may serve as a transmission corridor for Pseudogymnoascus destructans and white-nose syndrome in the coastal plains and coastal region of Georgia, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

Parker, Ryan A., Kyle T. Gabriel, Kayla Graham, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2019. Validation of methylene blue viability staining with the emerging pathogen Candida auris. Journal of Microbiological Methods.

Gabriel, Kyle T., John J. Neville, George E. Pierce, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2019. Lipolytic Activity and the Utilization of Fatty Acids Associated with Bat Sebum by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Mycopathologia.

Hussein, Emad I., Jacob H. Jacob, Muhamad Ali K. Shakhatreh, Mutaz A. Abd Al-Razaq, Abdul-Salam F. Juhmani, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2018. Detection of antibiotic-producing Actinobacteria in the sediment and water of Ma'in thermal springs (Jordan). GERMS 8(4):191-198. doi: 10.18683/germs.2018.1146.

Gabriel, Kyle T., Leila Kartforosh, Sidney A. Crow Jr., Christopher T. Cornelison. 2018. Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils Against the Fungal Pathogens Ascosphaera apis and Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Mycopathologia 183(6): 921-934.

Jacob, Jacob H., Emad I. Hussein, Muhamad Ali K. Shakhatreh, Mutaz A. Abd Al-Razaq, Abdul-Salam F. Juhmani, Ala'a I. Matalka, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2018. High-Throughput Sequencing-Based Review of Bacillus Diversity in Jordanian Hot Springs Water. World Applied Sciences Journal 36 (3): 470-475.

Gabriel, Kyle T., D. Joseph Sexton, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2018. Biomimicry of volatile-based microbial control for managing emerging fungal pathogens. Journal of Applied Microbiology 124:1024–1031.

Hussein, Emad I., Jacob H. Jacob, Muhamad Ali K. Shakhatreh, Mutaz A. Abd Al-razaq, Abdul-salam F. Juhmani, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2017. Exploring the microbial diversity in Jordanian hot springs by comparative metagenomic analysis. MicrobiologyOpen.

Jacob, Jacob H., Emad I. Hussein, Muhamad Ali K. Shakhatreh, Christopher T. Cornelison. 2017. Microbial community analysis of the hypersaline water of the Dead Sea using high-throughput amplicon sequencing. MicrobiologyOpen.

Cornelison, Christopher T., Blake Cherney, Kyle T. Gabriel, Courtney K. Barlament, and Sidney A. Crow Jr. 2016. Contact-Independent Antagonism of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the Causative Agent of Snake Fungal Disease by Rhodococcus rhodochrous DAP 96253 and Select Volatile Organic Compounds. Journal of Veterinary Science & Technology 7.

Cornelison, C.T., K.M. Keel, K.T. Gabriel, C.K. Barlament, T.A. Tucker, G.E. Pierce, and S.A. Crow Jr. 2014. A preliminary report on the contact-independent antagonism of Pseudogymnoascus destructans by Rhodococcus rhodochrous strain DAP96253. BMC Microbiology. 14:246.

Cornelison, C.T., K.T. Gabriel, C.K. Barlament, and S.A. Crow Jr. 2013. Inhibition of Pseudogymnoascus destructans growth from conidia and mycelial extension by bacterially produced volatile organic compounds. Mycopathologia. 177(1-2):1-10.

Cornelison, C.T. The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend, A new hope in the battle against WNS? Bats Magazine. Summer, 2013. (32)1:2-4. PDF, Text.

Cornelison, C.T., B. Stubblefield, E. Gilbert, and S.A. Crow Jr. 2012. Recurrent Aspergillus contamination in a biomedical research facility: a case study. J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (39)2:329-335.